ALONE
by Aphrodite-Venus-u.k
Summary: AS THE DARK WAR RAGES ON, MARCUS FLINT FINDS HIMSELF TORN BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL. DOES HE TAKE THE DARK MARK OR NOT? AFTER ALL, IT'S WHAT SLYTHERINS DO.
1. Chapter 1 INTRODUCTION

**INTRODUCTION **

Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Author's Note: I decided to finish my little trilogy. Even though, this is the first one. I'm only going to put this info on the first chapter. This was supposed to be only one chapter, but I had a request to divide it up. They claimed that it would be easier to read this way.

Time: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Genre: Drama and Angst

Date Completed: April 26, 2009

Rating: PG-13

He had been though a lot in his life. When he was five years old, Lord Voldemort murdered his Auror parents. Along with his two-week-old sister, he was thrown out onto the streets. The two children were placed in foster care. Most of them were half-bloods. Many times he was shut out and abused. Their only escape was Hogwarts. Both were lucky there. He played centre Chaser for Slytherin and was captain for four years. She was made prefect, played reserve for Slytherin for five years, and in her sixth year she was the first female to make first string in fifty years. Then, in her seventh year she made history by becoming the first Slytherin female captain. At seventeen, he was too old to be in foster care. So, he left and took his sister with him. He became her caretaker. It was a struggle, but they made it. At the end of his seventh year, he was signed on with the Falmouth Falcons. Over, the next year, their income became too large to count. Life was finally beginning to look good.


	2. Chapter 2 AFTER THE FINAL

CHAPTER ONE: AFTER THE FINAL

Twenty year old, Marcus Flint appeared out of nowhere. He looked around the dark sitting room. He didn't know where his fifteen year old sister, Haley, was.

And he really didn't care.

He had just gotten back from the American Final. He was tried and bruised from head to toe. All he wanted to do was take a nice, hot shower and go to bed for a week.

Marcus threw his Firebolt down on the leather sofa and stripped off his gray and white robes. He stood there in a white T-shirt and tan pants. He sighed and climbed the stairs. He took a shower that was hot enough to burn him. Half-an-hour later he came back down, barefoot, dressed in black shorts and a gray T-shirt.

He walked into the kitchen and flipped through the pile of post that lay on the table. There was the usual junk: girls wanting to date him, letters from fans and haters, etc. At the bottom of the pile was a note from his sister saying that she was staying with a girlfriend.

"At least she left a note," Marcus said under his breath.

For the third time that day, he climbed the stairs. He strolled down the hall to his room. One of the house elves had turned the bed down for him. Slightly he thanked them as he climbed into bed. It didn't take long for sleep to overcome him.

It was mid-afternoon when Marcus woke up the next day. He padded to the bathroom where he took a shower and shaved. Then, he put on a pair of blue jeans and black T-shirt. On his feet, he placed a pair of dragon-hid boots. It finish the outfit, he grabbed a long, black robe off the floor.

He could still feel the Buglers. Every movement hurt. Somehow he managed to limp down the stars and into the kitchen.

Haley had come home. She was standing at the stove frying eggs. Marcus and Haley looked very much alike. Both were tall and slim, but strong from years of playing Quidditch. They had the same dark hair that got wavy when it was long. They had the same chocolate, brown hair and a fair complexion.

"When did you get in?" Marcus asked.

Haley flipped an egg. "A few hours ago. You?"

"Last night." Marcus picked up today's Daily Prophet. He merely glanced at the front page. It was the usual about the Dark War. He threw it aside.

"How was the final?"

"Won some, lost some."

"That's good." Haley turned back to her eggs. She turned the stove off and brought the eggs over to the table.

"Marcus, you're not thinking about taking the Dark Mark are you?"

Marcus didn't answer. The thought of taking the Dark Mark had crossed his mind more than once. After being in foster care for so long and remembering what the Muggle dad had done to him, the Mark didn't seem like such a bad idea.

Haley stared at him. "You're thinking about it." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.

Marcus sighed. "I don't know what to do."

She came over and stood behind him. She placed her hand on his heart. "Follow your heart. Do what you think is best." She rubbed his shoulders.

Marcus eyed her. "Where did you come up with that?"

Haley froze. "Gods, I think I'm turning into an old woman."

"Mum used to say that," he said.

"Did she?"

"Yeah. Then, she told me that if she ever caught me "doing what I think it best", I wouldn't sit down for a week."

"Why?"

"I wanted to quite piano."

Haley laughed. "What about dad?"

Marcus smiled. "I knew better than to get caught."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Natalia was here right after you left," Haley whispered. "She said that she had something for you."

Natalia Woods was Marcus's sort-of girlfriend. (He had been dating Katie Bell until last year.) Natalia had waist length black hair with red highlights. She had beautiful hazel eyes and a spotless complexion. She lived in a flat over her shop in Knockturn Alley. She was one of those girls who made every girl's self esteem drop.

"Did she tell you what she wanted?" Marcus asked even though he already knew the answer.

"No," Haley replied.

Marcus stood up. "I suppose I'd better go and see what she wants."

Haley began to clear the table. "See ya' later," she said with a smirk.


	3. Chapter 3 NATALIA

CHAPTER TWO: NATALIA

Marcus Disapparted outside of Natalia's flat. He looked up at the gray, old buildings. Knockturn Alley was a grim place; so, grim that he stayed away as much as possible. But, for some reason he kept coming back.

Natalia must have been looking out the window, because she burst out of the shop with her cloak and long hair flying out behind her. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed his lips. After a few minutes she broke away and grabbed his hand. "I've got something to show you," she said as she lead him to the fire escape.

Marcus couldn't help, but to stare at Natalia. She was a goddess. However, she was no Katie. No one could ever replace Katie.

Natalia help open a window. She motioned for him to crawl through. When he did, he found himself in her small bedroom. The poorly lightened room only contained a dresser, a trunk, a twin size bed, and several books stacked in a corner. It reminded him of the university's dooms. (He was in his second year of university.)

She sat down on the bed; he sat down next to her. Natalia pulled several pieces on parchment out of her cloak and tossed them to Marcus. He looked down at it. It wasn't in English; it was in Ancient Runes.

"Do you think you could translate it?" Natalia asked.

Marcus studied the papers. Sure, he could translate them, but he wanted to be difficult. "Can't you? I thought you took Ancient Runes too."

She smiled sweetly at him. "I did, but I forget. Besides you're better at it than me," she purred in his ear.

Marcus sighed and placed the papers inside his cloak.

Natalia smiled and kissed him again. "Thank you, baby."

He turned to leave, but she stopped him. "Oh, and love, I need them back in a few weeks."


	4. Chapter 4 CHOICES

CHAPTER THREE: CHOICES

Marcus spread the Runes out on his study's desk. Whoever had written these didn't understand Runes or just wanted to cause someone grief.

"At least I know why Natalia didn't want to translate these," he muttered under his breath. He signed and looked out the window. He had been working on these cursed Runes for three very long days.

In two weeks, Haley would be returning to Hogwarts to start her fifth year. In December, she would be sixteen. He hadn't realized how old she was getting. Marcus knew that she needed a female in the picture. She needed or a mother or something similar.

And he knew how to get it.

He knew that this choice could possibly kill him and was going to get him in trouble. But it was the only choice he had, even if he was going to be in it alone.


	5. Chapter 5 THE MARK

**CHAPTER FOUR: THE MARK**

**Two Months Later **

Marcus followed Bellatrix Lestrange's long cloak as she led him across the sweeping grounds of the Riddle House. She held the door open for him, which would have been a nice gesture if she was wasn't hoping he'd die, and beckoned him inside.

Once inside she lite her wand. "Get your wand out and light yours, boy," she ordered him.

Marcus fumbled for his wand. Bellatrix was growing impatient. Finally, he pulled it out of his back pants pocket. He lite it and followed her up the stairs.

After they had gone up two flights, she shoved him through an open door. Then, she seized his wrist and marched him into the centre of the room. This made him feel like a small child again. Once in the centre, she forced him onto his knees.

Marcus looked up and saw that he and Bellatrix weren't alone. In the circle around him was a dozen or so masked, hooded figures. He couldn't tell who anyone was expect for Bella.

"Look at me, Marcus," an icy, high, voice ordered from the right of him.

Marcus couldn't help but to obey. There was something in that voice that really crept him out. When he looked up he saw that he was looking into the snake-like face of Lord Voldemort.

"Give me your left arm," the Dark Lord commanded.

Before Marcus could react, the Dark Lord had seized his arms and was pulling his robe up. He watched as Voldemort ran his fingers over his bare arm. He could feel He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named pressing on different parts of his arm.

"Rookwood, Bella," the Dark Lord ordered, "secure him."

Marcus watched as Rookwood and Bella stepped out of the circle and strutted over to him. they got down to his level and grabbed him; Bella by his waist and Rookwood twisted Marcus's right arm behind him.

Voldemort pulled his wand out and placed it on Marcus's cold flesh. There was no going back now. The Dark Lord said something under his breath.

And fire erupted throughout Marcus's body.

Three days later, Marcus regained consciousness. He tried to sit up, but someone forced him back down into bed.

"Lie still," Natalia, ordered.

He lay back against the pillows. Maybe it was all a dream. He didn't really take the Dark Mark, did he? He looked down at his left arm and groaned. Sure enough, it was there. It looked scary. It burned too; the skin around it was red.

Natalia seized his arm. She studied the Mark. "I think it looks good on you. We've got to get your pretty skin healed up."

Marcus gave her a look.

She shrugged. "This is what happens when you get drunk."

"I wasn't drunk."

She raised an eyebrow. "Sure, you weren't."

Marcus stared at her. She dropped his arm and gave him a kiss. "Now, lie still."

"If I don't get to practice, it's going to look suspicious." He sat up on the side of the bed. "Besides, if I don't show up I don't get paid."

"It's not like you don't have enough money as it is," she muttered as she watched Marcus get dressed.


	6. Chapter 6 THE PATRONUS

Chapter Five: The Patronus

Author's Note: This is a short chapter that I almost cut, but I decided to keep it. It really doesn't add to the story.

Marcus watched the dementor sweep down on an innocent Muggle girl. He felt the cold air and darkness surround him. He pulled his robes closer to him. The dementor kissed the girl and looked at him. He muttered a spell under his breath and a sliver leopard shot out of his wand.

"How long has it been like that?" Lucius Malfoy inquired.

"Since I was sixteen," Marcus said as he pocketed his wand. "Why?"

"Because it's the same as your father's."

Marcus looked out at the London skyline. He didn't look the elder Malfoy in the face. "I don't care."

That was a lie. He really wanted his parents back. No, forget that: they would kill him if they were alive. Now he was alone.


	7. Chapter 7 ENDLESS NIGHTS

Chapter Six: Endless Nights

Marcus stretched his tall form out on the leather sofa. He reached behind him and flipped on the lamp. Haley would be home for Christmas in a few days. In September, she had written to him to inform him that she had made the Slytherin Quidditch team. She played Chaser.

He glanced up at the clock. He had a meeting with the Death Eaters in two hours, a raid at midnight, and practice at seven. It was going to be another sleepless night.

The Muggle man kneeling in front of Marcus pleaded for his life. His pleas weren't heard. They went to death's ears. Marcus didn't feel a thing when he killed the man.

And he turned to the other man.

"Marcus, please don't," the man begged.

Marcus froze. "How do you know my name?"

The man grabbed Marcus's robes, who pulled away. "I raised you since you when a boy." The man looked at Marcus. "You don't want to do this," he whispered. "This isn't the real you. You're not evil." He choked. "Please, let me live."

Marcus laughed. "Isn't is funny how you want to keep your worthless lies?" I don't remember you ever showing me any mercy."

"If you're talking about the night, then I'm sorry."

Marcus glared at him. "Yeah, right."

Thunder rolled in the distance. Rain was already falling. Both men were soaked to the skin.

"Marcus, I'm sorry," the man repeated.

Marcus pointed his wand at the man. "Well, I'm not."

"You don't even know what I'm going to do to you." The man kicked Marcus hard in the leg.

Marcus staggered a little. He twisted his ankle in a pothole. "Why you..." But he never finished. He heard the cracking of bone and pain was shooting up his leg. He fell to the ground.

And a jet of green light shot out of his wand.

The curse hit the brick wall behind the man. It shattered into hundreds of pieces that fell around both of them. Marcus put his arms over his head and watched the bricks fly around him. None hit him but the pain in his ankle was growing stronger with each passing second.

After it was over, the man got up. He gave Marcus a kick in the stomach and, then, in his broken ankle. "I could have you arrested," the man said over him. "Arresting an injured Death Eater would make the Aurors day. An easy capture, one less criminal on the streets."

Well, go ahead," Marcus, said through gritted teeth. "Have me arrested."

"I'm not going to. Your master probably has some kind of punishment waiting for you. Just remember, you let one of your victims get away. "

"You haven't gotten away yet," Marcus reminded him.

"But you missed me."

Marcus grabbed his wand. Another jet of green light shot out of it. This time it found its mark. "No, I didn't miss."

Somehow, he managed to get home. He threw himself on the sofa, got out his wand, and placed it on his ankle. He muttered the spell and his ankle magically healed. He stood up. His ankle was a little tender, but he ignored it. He looked at the clock. He was tried but right now he had to get to the pitch for practice.

Haley came tomorrow.

**Christmas **

On Christmas Day morning, Haley ran down the hall, into Marcus' room, and shook him. "Marcus, wake up."

Sleepily Marcus rolled over. He grabbed his sister and pulled her into his bed. He pinned her under his arm.

"Marcus!" she exclaimed. She got free from his grip and laid down next to him.

He looked down at her. He was happy that she was home. He loved having her around, but he never told her.

"What do you want?" Marcus asked.

"Breakfast."

Marcus rolled over onto his side. "You know how to cook and we have house elves."

Haley slapped his arm. "I want you to help me."

Marcus sighed, but helped his sister. Afterwards, they exchanged gifts and spent the rest of the day together.

Haley's sixteenth birthday was two days after Christmas. Marcus was a twenty year old, young man raising an almost grown female. He wasn't sure what he was doing, but he was doing the best he could.


	8. Chapter 8 PAIN

Chapter Seven: Pain

Marcus leaned back against Natalia. She rubbed his should and rested her chin on top of his. He sighed but didn't push her away. He was getting used to having her touch him all of the time.

"You look tried," Natalia commented. "When was the last time you slept?"

"Last night."

Natalia raised Marcus's head up and looked at the dark circles under his eyes. "For how long?"

"Three hours."

"The night before?"

"Even less."

"When was the last time you slept a full night?"

Marcus looked straight ahead. "I don't remember."

Between raids and his Quidditch life sleep had become so rare. It was the simple things he longed for. The press followed him everywhere, especially when he wanted to be alone.

At least they didn't know a Death Eater.

Marcus leaned back against Natalia and let sleep overcome him.

**Hogwarts **

Haley strolled down through one of Hogwart's many corridors. She looked over her shoulder and saw that the new Seeker, Harper, was following her again. She sighed and whipped around.

"What do you want?" she demanded.

"Ah, come one Haley," Harper said. "I just want to have a little fun."

She raised an eyebrow. "You call this fun?"

He nodded.

"No wonder you don't have a girlfriend."

"I have many to choose from."

Haley laughed. "Yeah, right."

"You don't believe?"

She started to walk again. "When I see it, I'll believe it."

Haley went out into the courtyard. She was very disappointed. She was hoping that Marcus would write today, but so far he hadn't. It had been so long since she heard from Marcus. He usually wrote to her about once a week but lately he hadn't been. She scanned the skies. There was no owl in sight.

She sighed and went back into the castle. Maybe she would have better luck tomorrow.

When Marcus woke up, he was still in Natalia's arms. He looked up and saw that she had dozed off. After he had pushed her arms aside and stood up, he stretched his stiff muscles. He walked over to the window and pulled the curtains back. The sun's brilliant rays filled the dark room.

"Marcus," Natalia sleepily called.

"Yeah," he answered.

Natalia came over and stood next to Marcus. "What are you looking at?"

"Just looking."

The couple watched as two birds landed in the yard and a few minutes later they took off. The birds danced in the sky and disappeared.

"Must be nice," Marcus said.

"What must be nice?" Natalia inquired.

"To just fly away and forget everything."

Natalia stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "Well, I think you're nice."

He smiled.

The big, dark snake slithered along the stone floor. It's slimy tongue went in and out. It sniffed the air and hissed.

Something else was there.

The snake sniffed the air again.

And it struck.

The body hit the ground, dead.

Marcus sat down in at the drawing room table. He picked up a quill, a sheet of parchment, and began to write. Yesterday he had gotten a long, rude letter from Haley. She demanded to know why he hadn't been writing. Normally, he wrote once a week, but it had been over a month since his last letter. After an hour he had filled of four pages. As he finished off his last sentence, he thought that it would last her awhile.

The moment he put his quill down, he felt the Dark Mark burn. Marcus sighed. He padded down the hall to his bedroom. He opened the trunk at the foot of his bed and took out his Death Eater robes and mask. He pulled off his jeans and T-shirt. In their place, he put on a black, button-down shirt, and black jeans. He laced up his boots, put on the robes, pulled the hood up, and pulled the mask down.

And Disapparted.

"You're late," Bellatrix said once he appeared.

Marcus didn't say anything. He knew that he wasn't late. He could see the others in the next room. Bellatrix just wanted to give him a hard time. For unknown reasons, she hated him.

"I have to punish you," she said. She stood up and walked over to him. "Well, do you have anything to say?"

Marcus looked at Bellatrix. "No." He braced himself for what was coming.

A few hours later, he was back home. He stood him front of the bathroom mirror. His chest hurt. He stripped off his shirt and studied his bare chest. There was an ugly bruise right over his heart.

He made a fist and punched the wall. "I hate her!" he bellowed.

Marcus hit the sink and stormed back into the hall. He yanked the drawing room door open and tied Haley's letter to his owl's, Falcon, leg. He opened the window and watched the owl fly away. He slammed the window shut.

"Minnie," he snapped.

A female house elf come running into the room. "Yes, master."

"Bring me something to eat."

Minnie took one look at her master and fled to the kitchen.

Marcus went into his bedroom and got another shirt. He sighed. Tomorrow would be another day.

A few minutes later, Minnie found him sitting on the bed. She handed him a plate on food.

"Thanks," he said. He took the pat and patted the place next to him. "Have a seat."

Minnie climbed up next to him. He offered her some; she declined. "You eat. You're getting to thin."

It was true. Since taking the Dark Mark, he had lost more than twenty pounds. The dark lines under his eyes never left. He only got three or four hours of sleep a night. Due to this, his Quidditch playing was suffering. The captain was threatening to throw him onto the reserves.

Marcus finished his food and lay down on the bed. "I wish I could make it all go away."

"All of what?" Minnie inquired. Minnie was Marcus's favourite house elf. He treated her like a human.

"Everything."

Minnie patted his arm. "Go to sleep. Tomorrow his a new day."


	9. Chapter 9 THE ORDER

Chapter Eight: The Order

Marcus left out of cry of pain as the Auror twisted his arm behind him. He fought to get a hold of his wand. When he managed to get it, he gave the Auror a nasty curse.

Marcus jumped back as the Auror set a curse directed to him. His arm hurt and he wasn't in the mood to play games.

The Auror jumped on Marcus, pulled him to the ground, and jumped on top of him (It hurt, his attacker was about forty pounds heavier than he was.) This was his first chance to get a look at his attacker. The Auror was big, tall, and black. He was also bald. Marcus knew that he had seen the Auror before.

While he was thinking, the Auror pulled off his mask.

Both men swore at the same time.

"YOU!" Kingsley Shacklebolt exclaimed. "I go after a Death Eater thinking it was going to be easy and I get YOU!"

Marcus was confused. "Well, you got me.'

Shacklebolt got off Marcus. "I can't turn you in."

Marcus spat some blood out of his mouth. "Why not?" He really didn't want to be arrested. He knew that she should be getting out of here, but he was curious.

"Because I can't! Don't you know anything?"

Shacklebolt had struck a nerve with Marcus. He didn't like people who made him sound stupid. As he turned to leave, Shacklebolt caught him.

"You don't want to go to jail, do you?" Shacklebolt inquired.

Marcus shook his head.

"Good. You listen to me, boy, and you listen good. Don't let me catch you again or I will personally escort you to Azkaban. Understand?"

Marcus nodded.

Shacklebolt kicked him. "Now, get out of my sight before I change my mind!" He hit him over the head.

Marcus didn't need to be told twice.

Once he was back at the house, Marcus went up to the attic. All of the family history was kept up there. The only reason they had the house was because of the Ministry. Eighteen months ago, the Ministry had been going through will discovered that all the Flint heirlooms belonged to Marcus and Haley. (They had been living in a London flat for two years.)

He knelt down in front of a large trunk and pushed it open. A cloud of dust came out at him. Coughing, he flipped through some loose parchment until he found what he had been looking for. He slammed the lid shut and went downstairs.

Marcus opened a leather bound book. It had a musty smell and the pages were yellowing. He began to read. While reading, he noticed that his dad had similar handwriting to his. His dad kept referring to something called the Order. He had never heard of it, and if he had, he didn't remember it.

He read late in the night. About halfway through the book, there was a photograph. In the photograph there was two dozen witches and wizards. Some he knew; others he didn't. On the back, his father had written: September 14, 1989 and the Order of the Phoenix.

"The Order of the Phoenix," Marcus muttered.

Now he remembered! His parents had been a part of that. They fought against Lord Voldemort. After his parents were killed, they had disappeared from his life. They had let him and his sister suffer. When it came to Harry Potter everything had changed. The Order had been there for him.

Since, Voldemort was back, so was the Order.

And he knew who they were.

Natalia's runes were starting to make sense. What Marcus had gotten out of the runes was that with the return of the Dark Lord, a secret organization would return and lead to the Dark Lord's downfall.

And that secret organization was the Order of the Phoenix.

Marcus slipped out of his uniform. He stared at his side. He touched it and flinched.

Cursing under his breath, he rummaged around until he found something for the pain. He popped a Muggle pain pill. Even though he hated Muggles, he had to admit their pain pills worked pretty good. Expect for the ones that knocked him out for several hours...

With the pain gone, Marcus went to his bedroom. It had been nine months since he had taken the Dark Mark. In July he would be turning twenty-one.

There was a plot to attack Hogwarts and kill Dumbledore. Due to a game in Thailand, Marcus wouldn't be going on that raid. The Dark Lord had picked a small group to go. The way that Voldemort was acting it was like he thought something was going to go wrong.

And besides Haley was coming home soon. He had to clean house.


	10. Chapter 10 CHANGE OF TIDES

Chapter Nine: Change of Tides

Marcus rolled over in his sleep. Yesterday was his twenty-first birthday. Natalia had taken him out to dinner and then they went back to her place to "talk", as she put it.

Natalia was twenty-three, two years older than Marcus was. She wasn't his girlfriend; she was more of a partner. He never seemed to be with anyone who was his own age; they were either younger or older. Mostly they were older.

Marcus pulled on his Death Eater robes and took his broom from Haley.

"This is weird," he commented.

"What is?" Haley asked.

"Going on a raid with this." He pointed to his broom.

She looked down at it. "Yeah, it is. That's okay; you're weird."

"That's because I'm around you too much."

Haley slapped Marcus on the arm. "It should be the other way around."

"No, it shouldn't." He dodged another slap.

"Whatever, loser." She pulled him close. "Try not to get killed."

"I'll do my best."

**2 Hours Later **

Marcus flew through the sky. He had a Death Eater on either side of him. They were going after Harry Potter. The Dark Lord wanted him dead. Marcus was beginning to get tired of this.

But he did as he was told.

Natalia flipped through some paperwork that she had stolen from the Ministry. Most of it was boring. She was studying the wanted list. Some of the names she knew, but didn't care about them. One name managed to catch her eye.

"Oh, great," she said under her breath.

Within a second, she was out the door.

Natalia appeared outside of Marcus's mansion. She stormed into the entryway as Haley came out of the living parlour.

"Where's Marcus?" she demanded.

"Upstairs, at least that's where I last, saw him," Haley informed her.

Natalia stormed up the stairs and stormed into his room. He was lying on his bed reading a thick book. He looked up as she entered.

She seized the book from him. "You need to watch your back."

He eyed her. "Why?"

"Because your name is on the wanted list!"

He just looked at her. "I already knew that."

Natalia sat down next to him. "You already knew?" When he nodded, she slapped him across the face.

"What was that for?" Marcus asked as he rubbed the side of his face.

"FOR NOT TELLING ME THAT YOU KNEW!" Natalia was now on a full blown rampage. "FOR LETTING ME WORRY ABOUT YOU!"

She kissed him. "The only person I worry about is you. I care too much about you." She kissed him again. "Don't make me worry."

Marcus smiled. "I'll try, but I'm not making any promises."

Natalia gave him the evil eye. "Don't joke about this." She stood up. "Try to be good."

"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises."

"Shut up."

Posters screamed the words. Harry Potter was wanted. There was a large reward for his capture. There was a problem. Harry Potter had disappeared off the face of the earth. Bands of people had gone is search of the boy, but no one could find him.

Harry Potter was gone.

Marcus stared out at the empty streets of Hogsmeade. Behind him, he could hear the laughter and load music coming from the pubs. He longed to be a part of it.

But, no, he had guard duty.

Marcus didn't really think that Harry Potter would show up in Hogsmeade. However, the Dark Lord believed differently.

He banged his head against the side of the building. His guard partners were useless. They couldn't tell the difference between a pixie and dragon.

"Hey, I think I saw something," Bole whispered for the third time that night.

"Well, go see what it is," Marcus told him. He knew that it was just a cat, but he wanted to be alone for a few minutes.

He was beginning to regret becoming a Death Eater. He didn't even remember why he took the Dark Mark in the first place.

Was it for glory or fame?

He didn't remember. He was pretty sure that it wasn't for either of them. The only way out was death. He didn't want to die. At twenty-one, he was still young. He wanted to get married and have a family. He wanted to live a long and happy life, not a short and miserable one.

But no one ever asked him what he wanted.

"Hey, Flint. Marcus. Marcus Flint," Draco Malfoy called interrupting his thoughts. "Some of us are going done south on a raid. Are you game?"

Marcus stared out at the horizon. It was twilight, the end of the day. It was also a start of a new day, a new beginning.

"I'm game," Marcus told Malfoy.

And they disappeared into the twilight.


	11. Chapter 11 EPILOGUE: A MEETING

**Epilogue: A Meeting**

He handed the book and parchment over. He knew that he shouldn't be doing this. This could cost all of them their lives.

"Is this everything?" one asked.

"It's all I could find," he said.

"Good," another said.

"Are you sure about this," a third inquired.

He nodded. "Positive." He turned to leave. "I'll be back next week."


End file.
